Electric engine-starter.



M; P. MITCHELL.

ELECTRIC ENGINE STARTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 14, 1914.

1 ,1 1 9,855. Patented Dec18, 1914.

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j/jwfzzwzz Inventor,

Attorneys M. P. MITCHELL.

ELECTRIC ENGINE STARTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 14, 1914.

1,119,855. Patented Dec.8,1914

3 SHEETS-SHBET 2.

Inventor, I I I V I Q I M. P. MITCHELL.

ELECTRIC ENGINE STARTER.

APPLICATION TILED MAR.14 1914.

x MN Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

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Inventor,

I Witnesses AttorI wys,

MARY PIERSON MITCHELL, OFEATON, OHIO.

ELECTRIC ENGINE-STARTER.

Application filed March 14, 1914.

T a all .whom it may concern Be it known that LVMARY P. MITCHELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Eaton, in the county of Preble and State of ,5, Ohio,- have invented a new and useful Elec- 'tric Engine-Starter, of which the following is aspecification.

The present invention relates to improvements in electric. engine starters, one object of the invention, being the provision of means-by which an electric machine either of the motor-generator type, or two separate machines, a motor and a dynamo, are operably connected to the crank shaft of an explosive engine, and placed under the con trol of a chauffeur or motor car operator so that the engine may be initially started through the machine operating as a motor. A further object of the present invention, is the provision of novel means for operably connecting the transmission mechanism to the crank shaft of the explosion engine, the operation of the same being manually controlled and under .the selection of the chauf- 26 four or operator.

With the foregoing and other objectsrin view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in thecombination and arrangement of parts and in 80' the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without at departing from the spirit of the invention. 7 In the, d1'awings--1*igure 1 is a side elevation of'theforward portion of the motor *car showingtheengine, with the present in vention applied in operable connection thereto. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. .Fig. v3 is a detailed elevation of the mecha- 'nism for [operably connecting a motor or generator or the motor-generator with the crank shaft. Fig. 4 is a section taken on 46 'line 4-4 of' Fig.- 3. Fig. 5 is an electrical diagram of. the motor generator. Fig. 6 is an electrical diagram showing a motor and generatoror dynamo.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the engine, whose crank shaft 2 has keyed thereupon the large gear 3, which is adapted to be operated by means of the worm gear 4. Thisworm gear 4, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, is rotatably temountedflin the depending lugs 5 of the frame 6. This frame'fi is disposed for slid- Speeification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

Serial No. 824,830.

ing movement between the plates 7 carried by the supports 8 connected to and supported from the chassis or frame 9. In order to provide a means for moving the worm 41 to and from the periphery of the gear 3 so that the same may be placed irito and out of mesh therewith. two oppositely disposed pins 10, are mounted for sliding movement in the cam slots 11 of the plates 7. Thus it will be seen that when the frame 6 is moved to the right as viewed in Fig. 3, the slots 11 will cooperate with the pins 10 to elevate the-lugs 5 and consequently the worm 4 so that the same will be moved out of mesh with the teeth of the gear 3. In order to provide a mechanism for sliding-the frame 6, a rod 12 is connected to the plate 7 and is operably connected to one terminal of the bell crank lever 18 which, as shown in Fig. 2, is pivoted within the lugs 14 of the supporting frame 8. A rod 15 is connected to the other terminal of the bell crank lever 13 and extends rearwardly to and is operably connected to the foot pedal 16 which is normally held in such a position as to hold the frame (3 with the worm gear 4 out of mesh with the gear 3 by means of the spring 17.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and'3, an electric machine .18 known as a motor-generator is supported upon the frame 8 and is provided with a shouldered shaft 19 disposed for registration and engagement with the socket 20 of the enlarged end 21 of the worm gear 4. Although the socket 20 and the shaft 19 are here illustrated as square in shape, it is evident that any form of connection that will insure the properconnection of the motor shaft with the worm 4rmay be employed, the one here shown being merely in dicative of many manners of making this connection. Thus it will be seen that as the frame or plate 6 is moved to and from the periphery of the gear 3, that the socketed head 21 of the worm 4 will be seated upon and removed from the shouldered end 19 of the shaft of the electric machine'18. Thus the worm 4 when moved in engagement with the gear-3 will be operably connected with the electric machine 18 and when moved out of mesh will be disconnected therefrom, this operation being directly under the control of the operator through the instrumentality of the foot lever 16so that after the electric machine 18 has been operated as a motor to crank the engine to start it initially, the foot lever being depressed so as to hold the parts in the position as shown in Fig. 3, the release of the foot lever will permit the spring 17 to push upon the rod 15 and consequently move the frame 6 to th eright, as viewed in Fig. 3, and cause the elevation of the worm from the periphery of the gear 3 and the disconnection of the worm from the electric ma chine 18.

In the installation shown in Fig. 5, the electric machine '18 is of a motor-generator type, so that when the batteries B are properly connected in circuit through the instrumentality of the switch S, the current will be led to the electric machine 18 and operate the same as a motor to start the engine 1 explosively. It will also be noted that when it is desired to charge the batteries B, that the worm 4 will be maintained in mesh with the gear 3 and that/by the brush construction of the usual motor-generator, the

said machine 18 will be operated as a dynamo or generator and thus charge the battery B, which being equipped with a volt and ammeter, will at a glance denote to the operator when the battery is properly charged.

In the installation 'shown in Fig. 6, the generator or dynamo'D is connected in circuit with the battery B through the connection controlled by the switch S, while the motor M is connected in circuit through the switch S controlling a circuit led from the battery B to operate the motor M and thus initially crank the engine.

I t will thus be seen that with the structures herein set forth, that the control for starting the engine initially is placed under the control of the chauffeur or operator of the motor car, and that by the simple de pression of the foot lever 16, the worm 4 will be properly interposed between the elec tric machine 18 and the crank shaft of the engine and be disconnected therefrom when released through the instrumentalityof the spring 17. V

The worm 4 may be moved into and out of mesh with the gear 3 by many means and still be within the scope of the present in vention. As the worm gear 4 is shown di rectly connected to the gear from the fly wheel 3, it is apparent that the same may 'be disposed en train with and operably con nected to a series of spur, bevel or other forms of gearing to form a transmitting means between the motor or motor generator 18 producing the desirable initial starting of the engine, and by means of which the motor may be operated from the crank shaft as a dynamo.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with an explosion engine, and an electric machine, of mechanism for operably connecting the two, including a main frame, a sliding frame mounted in the main frame, coiiperative means carried by the sliding frame and main frame for causing the movement of the sliding frame to and from the periphery of the gear, manually and spring controlled means for operating the sliding frame, a worm gear mounted in the sliding frame for movement into and out of mesh with the gear of the crank shaft, and cooperative means carried by the electric machine and the worm, whereby the electric machine is operably connected to the worm when the worm is connected to the gear of the crank shaft and whereby the same is disconnected therefrom when the worm is disconnected from the gearof the crank shaft. v a

The combination with an explosion engine, and an electric machine, of mechanism for operably connecting the two, including a main frame, a sliding frame mounted in the main frame, cooperative means carried by the sliding frame and main frame for causing the movement of-the sliding frame to and from the periphery of the gear, manually and spring controlled meansrfor operating the sliding frame, a worm gear mounted in the sliding frame for movement into and out of mesh with the gear of the crank shaft, cooperative means carried by the electric machine and the worm whereby the electric machine is operably connected to the worm when the worm is connected to the gear of the crank shaft and whereby the'samev is disconnected therefrom when the worm is disconnected from the gear of the crank shaft, said cooperative means including interengaging means formed upon one end of the shaft of the electric machine and the worm. 1 r

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

l/IARY PIERSON MITCHELL. Witnesses JOHN Rrsmcnn, HARRY L. RISINGEIL- 

